The Test
by FairyNiamh
Summary: Derek and Stiles go on a camping trip.


Deaton had sent them out here as some sort of pre-dating psychiatry test. This, in Stiles opinion, was totally un-fucking-fair. Yeah, they had a few trust issues and Derek had some anger issues, but at least they were not stuck in a Romeo and Juliet love affair like Scott and Allison, or in a love/hate relationship like Lydia and Jackson. Do not even get him started on Erica and Boyd. However, Danny and Isaac seemed to have settled into a nice groove.

Whatever, beside the point, Deaton had sent none of them away for any testing and in Stiles' humble opinion; Scott needed it much more than him. He didn't trust Derek AT ALL and they were supposed to be in a pack together. His life? So not of the fair.

At least it was beautiful and isolated up here in the mountain. The full moon would rise tonight and Derek would be able to run free as Stiles viewed the lake below with a false calm.

"Let's set up camp here," Stiles said as he looked over everything.

Derek raised his eyebrow and shrugged his shoulder. He wished that Derek would talk to him. He knew that Derek was as irritated as he was about this 'outing', but Stiles really didn't know the reasons why. Well, that is a slight fib. He knew that he was afraid that he would injure Stiles maybe even bite him. Stiles on the other hand had perfect faith in Derek's ability to control himself and the wolf inside.

"Hey, you hungry?" Stiles asked quietly as he set out all his stuff. There wasn't much, a pillow and sleeping bag to protect him as he slept. Canned goods and bags that sealed to place their trash in to deter any predators from Stiles' camp.

Derek gave a jerked nod and set his bag down before walking away to do – something, Stiles had no clue as to what, really. "Hurry back," Stiles, said as he rummaged through their collective goods. He didn't bother to look up knowing that all he would get from his stoic companion was another nod or some other non-verbal form of communication.

Stiles pulled out a few small bags of chips, a couple of cans of beanie weenies, and some bottled water from the packs. Once he had looked at his offered fair, he wrinkled his nose. If he had half a brain, he would have brought up a cooler and cooked an actual meal, instead of this canned crap. Even if it would have been hotdogs or hamburgers, they would have been far more elegant than this mess - and now he remembers what he really needs, a fire to heat up the beanie weenies. He liked them well enough, but he prefers them hot.

As if Derek had read his mind, he came out of the heavier woods carrying an armful of twigs and larger sticks. "You are a savior. Sorry I didn't bring more. I wasn't thinking, I wish I had brought more so you could have a good meal so you could have a full stomach before you change," Stiles said with a frown.

"We're both bachelors, I suspect your cooking skills are as good as mine, besides, less chance of bears this way. I doubt I could take down a black bear or a grizzly, even in my wolf form," Derek mumbled as he started to stack the wood in a teepee shape.

"Right, okay so this time around it is a good thing I didn't bring more and I will have you know I am a decent cook. I'm no chef, but I can cook and I will prove it to you once we come down from this mountain," Stiles said as he hunted for some rocks or something to provide a firebreak on their campfire.

Derek let out a suffering sigh as he finished with the wood and asked, "How are you not afraid? You're going to be alone, in the woods, on a mountain, with no phone, and me during the full moon. This is insane, I should have never agreed to this."

Stiles pursed his lips as he grabbed one of the sticks and started to dig a little trench around the pile of wood Derek had so carefully laid out. He studiously ignored Derek's questions. Yes, he had thought some of those same things, but deep down he knew why he was here and he hoped it played out the way his brain has thought.

"Stiles, ignoring me and my questions won't help. We don't have to do this, not tonight, maybe in a few nights when the moon doesn't have a pull on me and would you stop digging, and pay attention to me?" Derek growled.

"Derek, I am here to be with you. To prove to you that I care about you _and_ your wolf. I'm not stupid; I wouldn't come out here with any of the other pack, just you. It's always been you Derek and I hope that it will always be you. Now, if you feel the need to run and leave me up here, go now. I'll be okay. No, that's a lie, I'll be crushed, and I will wind up wandering the woods crying. Look, I know you're worried and I will admit that I am a little worried too. Not of you, but of the raccoons, squirrels, bears, and mountain lions… you know wild uncontrolled creatures. Only thing I fear from you is rejection and abandonment," Stiles said honestly, as he finished the small firebreak ring. "Hey, you didn't happen to bring a lighter or any matches did you?"

"This is still a bad idea," Derek complained reaching into his pocket and producing a Zippo lighter. Derek didn't smoke and wasn't fond of fire, but he loved the sound of the lid flicking open and closed, it had a near calming effect on his nerves.

"There you go, saving the day again," Stiles said as he took the lighter and quickly kissing Derek's soft mouth chastely.

"Idiot," Derek said softly letting a smile light up his face and eyes.

As Stiles lit the fire, he said absently, "You know, if this goes well for us, maybe we should make the others do it too. This way we can have the house to ourselves. Oh, but we would have to set up some cameras, the thought of Jackson or Lydia actually camping out? Yeah, hilarious!"

"You are evil," Derek said rolling his eyes. He would never admit it aloud, but he would like to see any of his pups and their mates try to rough it outdoors. It would especially not be a pretty sight for the two Stiles had mentioned.

"If people keep saying that I'm going to start believing them!" Stiles said as he popped the pull top lids and placed the cans next to the fire.

Derek pulled Stiles close and murmured into his mate's neck, "you already believe it; you just like to play like you don't."

"Shh, not so loud, I have an image and reputation to maintain," Stiles said in a conspiratorial voice. "Hey, we're going to be just fine tonight. You're going to let your wolf out to play and I am going to let my inner caveman out to sleep on the ground."

"How anyone can be as positive as you, I will never know. It will be nice to let the wolf stretch, I just don't want him hurting you," Derek said honestly.

"He is you and you have too much control to let anything hurt me, including myself. Hey, I have a confession to make," Stiles whispered as he crawled into Derek's lap letting his legs straddle the larger man's thighs.

"Oh? Am I going to like this confession?" Derek asked playfully grabbing his mate's hips to still the young man. He did not need riled up this close to the full moon rising.

"I think so," Stiles said as he bent to whisper the rest into Derek's ear. "I love you, the man," running his hand over Derek's heart, "And I love you, the wolf," running his hand behind his love's ear. "I'm a lucky man you know; I have the best of both worlds; a handsome man and a strong wolf to protect me and to cherish in my heart."

Derek pulled Stiles into a bruising kiss. Yeah, tonight would be hell, but it was all worth it and he was confident Stiles wouldn't abandon him. Deaton was a genius, this was just what Derek needed and wanted.

After several minutes of kissing and cuddling Stiles finally pulled himself away and off Derek. "We need to eat before the moon comes up and tomorrow, once we are well rested, I will cook you a home-cooked meal that will make you sit up and beg for more."

"We'll see," Derek said with a smile as he pulled the beans out of the fire. He wasn't exactly looking forward to eating the canned beans and franks, but Stiles was right, they both needed to eat. "Did you bring protection?" Derek asked as he sat the food in front of his mate. It was bad luck or just plain kismet that he asked Stiles that question while the young man had been drinking water. Of course, the reaction was for Stiles to spray said water all over Derek.

"I didn't think we were to that part in our relationship yet!"

"We're not," Derek said as he wiped away the water dripping down his face. "I was asking if you had protection from me and the other woodland creatures."

"Oh," Stiles said with a blush still staining his cheeks. "I have some mace, a stun gun, and mountain ash. Think that covers it."

"You're a pervert," Derek chuckled as he quickly ate his food.

"Takes one to know one; are you going to change here or elsewhere?"

Derek looked thoughtful as he continued to eat. "Think I'll get undressed here and then go and change further in the woods. You should put the mountain ash down while I'm away."

"Not much of a test if I magically keep you away all night. Don't worry, I'll put it up if I feel like I'm in danger, scouts honor," Stiles said as he held up two fingers.

Derek nodded in agreement. He would feel better if Stiles were behind the magical barrier, but he was right and his wolf was growling at the thought of seeing and smelling his mate without the ability to touch him. Derek had waited until Stiles had turned eighteen and he wolf would not be denied the ability to claim/touch his mate.

They sat there in silence eating their meal. After Stiles carefully bagged the open cans hopefully, the bags would prevent other creatures from smelling the remains of their meal. He kissed Stiles softly on the lips, stripped, and then ran deep into the woods beyond his human mate's sight.

Stiles doused the fired and the covered it with dirt before relieving his bladder on a nearby tree. He chuckled at himself when he wondered if any of the wolves pissed like dogs to mark their territory and yeah, that's a bad thought. 'If Derek or his wolf tried to piss on me tonight, I would tase them in the balls,' Stiles thought as he crawled into his sleeping bag for the night. The stars were beautiful and the moon seemed a little closer to the earth than normal. He smiled and snuggled further down into the sleeping bag as he heard Derek howling to the moon.

Thankfully, there was no pissing, maiming, wild animals, or bloodshed that night. The wolf sat guard next to his slumbering mate, cherishing the feel of the human fingers running through his fur. If he had been a cat, he surely would have purred loudly and deeply. He laid his head across his mate's stomach and dozed, comfortable for the first time in a long time to sleep in this form.

Stiles was good for them, Stiles was home, and Derek would do anything and everything to protect his home, to protect Stiles.

~Fin~


End file.
